Badger Bus

[mr. warehouse]

I'm doing this one for a customer in the UK

Here's how it looked when it arrived.

[mr. warehouse]

I tore out the running gear and got it on dollies right away...





Plans call for a 4" beam, dropped spindles, straight axle in the rear, new steering box, some new brake system including hard lines that were cut by the PO
New gas tank was also ordered and installed as well.

The engine is a 1776 with dual 44 Webers, Sidewinder exhaust, 009 w/ pointless ign., full flowed, big sump, etc.

I was making god headway on it up intil about 3 weeks ago when I screwed my back up since then it's been slow moving (almost a standstill)
I'll post more pictures as progress resumes.

[mr. warehouse]

The engine.......



Crazy power when we dialed it in on the stand...

Still needs a breather of some sort
Hoses on the bottom left are for an oil filter the owner is going to use.

[mr. warehouse]

So this weekend the Badger Bus should be a done driver.

Here's a few pictures I found today of the beam / brakes.

4" beam, dropped spindles, modified lower shock mount to keep the shock straight up and down and no need to cut off the dust cover, 944 disks on early 55-63 spindles. No small task, and not the cheap way to go, but definitely cool.













Rear brakes are currently 4 lug T3 drum drilled in the Porsche pattern, but I realized that didn't give enough clearance on the back side for the spring plate. I've been waiting for 5 lug T3 drums and wide 5 to Porsche adapters (to provide spacing) for some time now. They showed up this afternoon. Once they are on I'll adjust / bleed the brakes and we should be rolling.

[mr. warehouse]

Another old shot of the new gas tank installed, new wiring harness, and rebuilt Rancho trans.



Once we decided what to do with the exhaust (Sidewinder) those heater hoses got tossed.
Still haven't found a nice set of hinges for that decklid though.

[mr. warehouse]

It runs it drives, it's alive.
After who knows how many years I got to take the Badger for a long needed drive this weekend.
There were still a few things to dial in when I took these pictures, but for the most parts is a done deal now.

[mr. warehouse]

Don't forget the flashy interior shot!!

 ;D

[mr. warehouse]

No decklid or rear apron yet.

When putting a "regular" engine into a 36hp bay the engine tin has to be trimmed to fit the apron. I was too anxious to get driving to take the time to do that.

I will take pictures of the "trimming" and I can post them up with an after shot tomorrow.

As for the decklid, the one that came with the bus had no hinges and with everything else going on that thought never crossed my mind. Also the pieces of the hinges that are on the Bus are going to need some serious patience / time to get off.
If Garry gives it the OK I'll get a set of new hinges on there before shipping it off.



An oil filter needs to get mounted somewhere too, but Garry is going to do that so I just looped the existing lines

[mr. warehouse]

944 disks just visible behind the wheels

[mr. warehouse]

The 2 best shots of the day.........

[mr. warehouse]

Thinking back now, I wish I would have taken more pictures. There was a lot more to this bus than a stard drop and engine install.
Here's the short list:

New steering box / drag link
Free up / rebuild clutch pedal assembly, brake pedal assembly, and accelerator pedal assembly (including pivot on the floor)
Install parcel tray and associated dash components
New gas tank
New brake hard lines and soft lines
New master cylinder
All new cables (speedo, clutch, accelerator, e brake)
Modify late e brake cables to work on an early bus
944 disk conversion
4" beam
New T3 rear brakes
Rebuilt Rancho trans
Prep 1776cc engine with correct tin, exhaust, dog house bits, go through the carbs, electronic ignition.

The list goes on....
I'm more of a get the work done guy, not a take pictures of the work guy, so I guess I missed a bit of the build along the way.

[KombiMonster]

What kind of Hose clamp/deal is that holding the lines to the header flange?...

[mr. warehouse]

What kind of Hose clamp/deal is that holding the lines to the header flange?...

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=562684

[lowsplitJim]

What kind of Hose clamp/deal is that holding the lines to the header flange?...

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=562684

What do you mean, I thought the oil lines were supposed to lay on the headers... LOL 

[KombiMonster]

Damn those are nice! (first time I've seen them)....I have wire or zip ties holding mine up 

[NorCalRiviera]

Wow, that bus is some kinda sexy!   

[Slowlow]

That bus is tough!!